1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a drive mechanism for a data recording cartridge, and in one aspect, to a system permitting the opening of a cartridge door, movement of the tape from its normal path, raising of the head through the normal tape path in the cartridge and returning the tape to a position against the head.
2. Description of the Prior Art
This invention relates to the loading of tape cartridges edgewise, which tape cartridges are provided with a door affording access to the tape which is positioned along a path in one side of the cartridge. Prior devices for loading a cartridge edgewise or endwise as opposed to sideways, have been known, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,573,091 (Barton et al), wherein the access door is opened when the cartridge is inserted edgewise into a slot. The magnetic head is then pivoted about an axis parallel to the axis of the tape reels from a retracted position to a position engaging the magnetic tape. This pivoting movement also serves to bring the drive system into engagement with the cartridge.
In most other data cartridge drive systems the cartridge is loaded sideways such that the cartridge is placed into the machine and the door is opened during the insertion of the cartridge and then the cartridge is moved to place the tape up against a head which is fixed except for its ability to move vertically with respect to the plane of the tape to move the magnetic head to different tracks along the tape. Such a device is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,313,143 (Zarr), issued to the present applicant and assigned to the assignee of this application.
The present invention however allows the use of the data cartridge as described and claimed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,692,255 (Von Behren), to be interchangeable wth 51/4 disk drives without reduction in the size of the cartridge.
The present invention further permits the same discrete incremental movement of the magnetic head for recording multiple tracks in the data cartridge as that achieved with the earlier cartridge drive mechanisms such as illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,313,143 (Zarr).
The present invention further provides the assurance that the magnetic tape within a data cartridge is free from contact with the head as the head is moved vertically into and from an operative position.
The present invention provides a drive mechanism for a data cartridge which permits the drive mechanism to be mechanically interchangeable with a 51/4 inch Winchester disk drive or a floppy disk drive as a backup memory device in personal and small business computer systems. The improved drive mechanism of the present invention permits the cartridge to be edge loaded and the magnetic head is moved vertically on a fixed post into operative position. The proper location of the head is afforded with less stringent production standards with the present invention than necesssary in machines where the head swings from a retracted position into the operative position.